Collaboration Trap: Turf Protection!

Territorialism is a normal response when individuals who feel passionate about their individual organizations and/or personal mandates are expected to represent their interests in a collaborative setting or initiative. Finding the balance between being individual and collective at the same time can be challenging. 

Referring back to what we know about the brain… any threat to equity, certainty, autonomy, safety and status can cause people to disengage in positive community processes.

Territorialism or "Turf Wars" will look and feel different for everyone. As facilitators, we accept that these feelings are likely to occur, so we are as proactive as possible to reduce them.  Some of the simple yet powerful things we do to anticipate and prevent negative consequences include;

• Have visual reminders: Collective artwork, scrapbooks of accomplishments, calendars, and reflection cards which are all ways to say: “We are a team, a collaborative, and we are strong.”

• Hold “What’s on the Horizon” discussions: Provide a space for people to share what might be happening. Without these, an organization may launch something that has tremendous impact on another organization..and its too late to make adjustments so relationships suffer and we all take several steps back in collaboration efforts.

• Allow conflict to emerge: Get the elephants out from under the table. Sometimes people have to vent, talk about hard issues, and generally beat topics to death. Watch for the richness and growth in this process and the readiness to move on constructively with the work. Acknowledge common issues, concerns, and feelings of being threatened. Communication can be the biggest tool against the territory trap.

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